Washing machines and dryers have been sold as consumer appliances for several decades, and are still the focus of significant research and development. Manufacturers strive to make them faster, use fewer resources, and be gentler with clothes. However, for a majority of people, the most unpopular part of doing laundry is not the washing or drying steps, but rather, folding and putting away clothes once they are clean and dry.
Putting away clothes is largely done by hand, as some garments may need to be paired, folded, or ironed in a specific way. An appliance that may pick, store, and identify clothes in an autonomous and convenient way would therefore be desirable. In addition, it would be extremely advantageous to have a device that may keep track of every piece of clothing in an electronic inventory and make it available for online managing and sharing.